Genuine Attraction
by nothign to see here
Summary: Devil Survivor.  Naoya had planned to use his cousin's childhood to wrap him around his finger, but something went awry along the way.  Naoya x MC
1. Chapter 1

Hrmm... I'm _kinda_ tentative about uploading this fic. I mean, it just doesn't seem well-thought-out enough, but there's so little DeSu fanfics out there that it's depressing. :x

So...yeah. There aren't any _blatant_ spoilers, but some of the things that Naoya says (being the cryptic troll he is) might strike you as odd.

Anyways, if the title or summary didn't already tell you, the fic is going to focus on Naoya and MC. Meaning possible fluffy stuff. Nothing hardcore, though, I promise. They're going to be more touchy-feely than the average brother-brother relationship, but the most they'd ever do is a hug, and/or possibly a kiss to the cheeks or forehead. Yup, not even lip-to-lip. If you still don't like that, click Back.

In case you were wondering, I've named the protagonist Makoto Chouji. The kanji of _Makoto_ means "sincerity", and kanji of _Chouji_ is "favoured child." Which goes with...yeah, I won't spoil it.

Just a note: "Onii-chan" means "big brother" in Japanese. It's going to appear a lot in the fic, so just a heads-up.

**Devil Survivor © Atlus  
Character designs by Suzuhita Yasuda**

That's a nice, short little disclaimer. |D

In any case, despite how rushed this is, I hope you enjoy. :3

* * *

As always, Naoya had started his childhood as an ordinary boy. Other than his silvery hair and red eyes, there was nothing noteworthy about him.

And then he started to remember things.

At first, the images overwhelmed him, frightened him. He didn't know what he was seeing, nor did he understand why. However, this feeling gradually vanished once the majority of these memories returned.

Once he finally understood who he was.

The child Naoya once was disappeared, and he became introverted and cynical—he was much too mature for a boy his age. This change was so sudden that his parents had considered seeing a psychiatrist or a doctor. He scoffed at this idea—nothing would change his ideals. He would stop at nothing at revenge against the perpetrator of his eternal suffering.

And then the accident happened.

Naoya's parents had gone out one night, and they hadn't returned. After that, he was told that he was to be living with his cousin's family, who were apparently his last relatives.

When he arrived at his cousin's house, Naoya's first impression of them was that they were an ordinary family. His aunt was of average height and wore her hair long, and was beautiful in a modest sort of way. His uncle was also of average height and he had a kind look to him, but his hair was beginning to grey somewhat. And his little cousin…

"Makoto, this is your cousin, Naoya. He'll be living with us from now on," his aunt told the boy. He was tiny, at two years old, and his large eyes and short hair were a matching blue. He observed Naoya shyly while clinging to his mother.

"Don't be shy," she cooed. "Say hi to Onii-chan."

Makoto blinked and stared at Naoya. "…Onii…-chan," he said slowly, as if he had trouble with the words. "Onii-chan…" His face broke into a small smile as he moved away from his mother and walked over to Naoya. "Onii-chan!" Before Naoya could move away, Makoto hugged him, eliciting a small noise of surprise from the older boy.

His uncle laughed. "He likes you already."

Naoya said nothing at this and cupped the boy's cheeks, making him look up. Makoto stared up at him with his huge, curious blue eyes, and for a second, Naoya saw something familiar in them.

Unbeknownst to his aunt and uncle, Naoya smirked. _So it's you, _he thought. _ It's been so long…my little brother._

He didn't want to appear suspicious however. Removing his hands from the boy's cheeks, Naoya hugged his smaller cousin. "He seems like a really good boy," he murmured loud enough for his aunt and uncle to hear. Makoto gave a small, muffled giggle.

_That's right. You're a good boy, aren't you…?_ His silver hair hid his smirk, and he held him more tightly, possessively. _You're going to do whatever I say… And I'll make sure you obey me. _

Makoto's muffled protests at being held so tightly went unheard, so he gave in and clung to Naoya's clothes instead.

* * *

Uh... Wow, that was a lot shorter than I thought it'd be, LOL. Oh well.

I'm about halfway through chapter 2, so I'll upload that soon.

As always, reviews are great. C: Also, if anyone has a better title for this fic, that'd be great too. orz


	2. Chapter 2

Yaaay, I managed to finish the chapter before going to bed! |D So yeah, I'm _really_ tired right now, so please excuse any mistakes... orz

'NEways... Nothing much to say about this chapter. Again, there are some vague hints about some stuff, but no blatant spoilers. Also, possible OOCness. And some head canon. Yeah.

And I'll say this now: _Oba-san _and _Oji-san_ are "aunt" and "uncle" respectively. Just a note: _Oba-san_ is aunt, but _Obaa-san_ is grandmother. The extra letters makes all the difference. Same deal with _Oji-san _and _Ojii-san._

EDIT: BLARGH, this site is messing with my spacing. Sorry if it gets hard to distinguish between scenes; I've been trying to edit it, but the changes NEVER SAVE despite what the message says. Sorry, please bear with me... orz

**Devil Survivor is a creation of Atlus. Characters were designed by Suzuhita Yasuda.**

* * *

"Naoya, can you walk your cousin to school, please?"

"Yeah," he called back, but there wasn't any reason for his aunt to ask; ever since Makoto had started school, Naoya had been the one to accompany him, rather than his parents. Of course, Mr. and Mrs. Chouji had become increasingly busy as of late, and they had no time to walk Makoto, so the duty fell on Naoya's shoulders.

Five year-old Makoto was sitting on the floor by the door when Naoya found him. He was struggling to put on his shoes.

"C'mon, Makoto. You're gonna be late," Naoya chided. Makoto frowned at this.

"Don't bother me, Onii-chan!"

Naoya sighed, kneeling down in front of the boy. "Look, you're putting the shoes on the wrong feet. That's why you're having so much trouble."

"Oh." Makoto pouted as he looked up at Naoya. "Put them on for me, then!"

Sighing again, Naoya obliged, disgruntled by how demanding the boy was. But, he figured, he might as well get used to it now. _After all, he's going to be a king one of these days… _He smirked at the thought, and Makoto tilted his head.

"Why are you smiling, Onii-chan?"

"It's nothing. Come on, let's go." Slipping his shoes on, Naoya stood up. "We're heading out now!" he called back to the kitchen.

"Have fun!" was his aunt's reply, and with that, the two boys left the house.  
_

"Onii-chan, Onii-chan!" Makoto pranced in front of Naoya as they walked.

"What? Don't do that, you're going to fall and hurt yourself."

He ignored him. "Onii-chan, my birthday's coming up!"

"Oh, right. I forgot about that."

"Onii-chaaan!"

"What? You don't seem to be growing, so I just thought you'd be five years old forever," Naoya replied, smirking.

Makoto pouted again. "I wanna know what you're gonna give me for a present!"

Naoya was still smirking. "But if I tell you, it'd ruin the surprise."

"But…but Onii-chaaan!" he whined, clinging to his arm. "I wanna knoooow!"

In truth, Naoya hadn't thought about giving Makoto a present. Finding one seemed like a dull task. But he felt that his hard work would pay off in the end, so he decided he would endure the tedium.

"You'll know on the day of," Naoya said, winking. They had conveniently arrived on the school grounds then and there, and Naoya gave Makoto a small push. "We're here now. Off to class you go."

"Uwah… O-okay, fine!" He stuck his tongue out at Naoya, but it wasn't long before he smiled again. "See you later, Onii-chan!" he cried as he ran off.

Naoya shook his head and continued on towards his own classes.  
_

Makoto's birthday drew steadily closer, and Naoya decided that he had to act before it was too late. "Oba-san," he said one morning. "Are you free this weekend?"

"Hm? I think so," his aunt replied slowly. "Why do you ask?"

"I wanna go shopping."

He realized he must have said that rather strangely, judging from Mrs. Chouji's quizzical look, but he continued on, lowering his voice. "It's for Makoto's birthday present."

"Oh." He caught a glimpse of sadness on her face, but it was quickly gone. "I see. Well then, I don't see a problem with that."

They went to a small toy store that was a few blocks away. Naoya frowned as he stared at the shelves stacked with colourful goods. How could _anyone_ find any of these toys entertaining? His eyes raked the shelves for anything that a soon-to-be six year-old would like.

And then he found the perfect thing. Sitting by itself, as if rejected by the other toys and customers, was a sheep plush toy. It didn't look anything like a real sheep—it was more like a ball of fluff than anything, with stubby legs and beady eyes, but it was a sheep nonetheless. Naoya found himself smirking. _A lamb… How suiting. _

He showed Mrs. Chouji and she approved. After paying, they left the store.

As they walked, the only sounds were their footsteps and the cars on the road. Mrs. Chouji broke their silence by speaking up suddenly.

"Naoya, make sure your cousin has fun on his birthday, okay?"

"Oba-san?" He looked at her questioningly, but seeing her distressed expression, the realization hit him. "…Neither you nor Oji-san will be able to be there," he said monotonously.

Mrs. Chouji didn't say anything and continued walking.  
_

School came and went on Makoto's birthday, but the boy apparently didn't think so. "Today was so looong and boooring!" he said boisterously. "I can't wait to go home and see Mommy and Daddy!"

Naoya avoided the boy's gaze, but he didn't want to upset him so soon, so he stayed quiet.

Makoto was in high spirits as they walked home. He told Naoya about how school went, how some kid tripped in the school grounds, how Yuzu couldn't find him when they played hide-and-seek. Then, he peppered Naoya with questions about _his _school day, to which he gave a short, simple, "It was okay." The boy pouted when he didn't elaborate, and went on to complain about how slowly Naoya was walking.

When the Chouji residence finally came into view, Makoto sprinted towards the door, all but bursting into the house before Naoya could stop him. "Mommy! Daddy!"

There was no answer, but Makoto assumed that they simply didn't hear him. "Mommy, Daddy, me and Onii-chan are home!"

He was still met with silence. Confused, the boy kicked off his shoes and walked around the house. "Mommy? Daddy…?"

When Naoya finally reached the house, he found Makoto in the living room, sitting on the couch, hugging his knees, his exuberance from before completely gone, as if it was never there.

"…Oba-san and Oji-san couldn't make it home today, either," Naoya said, for lack of anything else to say.

Makoto hugged his knees even tighter. "Mommy and Daddy are so busy these days," he muttered, his small voice shaking slightly. "They're never home anymore…"

"Makoto…" He couldn't explain the emotions welling up inside of him—emotions he thought he had long banished. He didn't know why the sight of Makoto so upset tore at his heart. He didn't know why he suddenly remembered the image of his brother from long ago, with a bloodied knife in his hand and a dead lamb at his feet, his brother turning to look at him with a tear-stained face...

He didn't know why, but he wanted to see Makoto smile.

Quietly, he exited the room to find the bag he hid the stuffed sheep in. Its fur was as immaculate as ever—he hadn't touched it since it had been bought. He stared at the huge black eyes—they stared back, and for a fleeting moment, he hoped Makoto would like it.

When he returned to the living room, Makoto was where he had left him. The boy was wiping his eyes and Naoya frowned.

"It's your birthday. You shouldn't be crying like that," Naoya chided, walking over.

"Onii-chan…?"

"You should be thankful that you've lived another year." The sheep carefully concealed on the table behind him, Naoya cupped the boy's cheeks. "Who cares if your parents can't celebrate with you? It's _your_ birthday, so you can decide how to spend it. You don't need your parents."

"But…" The boy looked doubtful. "But I wanted Mommy and Daddy to be here too…" He was beginning to tear up again, but Naoya didn't want to see him cry.

"…I got something for you too, you know," he said, looking away. Makoto looked up at him, his blue eyes wide with surprise.

"You…you did?"

"Of course I did, stupid. Did you think I'd forget?"

"Don't call me stupid! That's a bad word!" Makoto pouted, but the pout was replaced by a shy look. "What did you get me, Onii-chan…?"

Naoya revealed the bag, sitting down beside him and handing it to the boy. "Here."

Curious, Makoto reached in, and when he pulled out the sheep, his expression turned from surprise to delight. "Aaah! It's so cuuute!" he cried, hugging it tightly, and then looking up at Naoya. "Is this really for me, Onii-chan?"

"Of course it is. Do you think I'd give it to you and then take it back?" Naoya scoffed, poking Makoto's forehead. "I didn't think you had such a low opinion of me, cousin."

"Uu… I dunno what you're talking about!" He hugged Naoya tightly, still holding the stuffed animal, his face against his clothing. "…Thanks, Onii-chan. You're the best!"

Naoya couldn't help but smile, and he returned the embrace. "Naturally."

They stayed in that position for a while, until Makoto broke the silence. "I still wish Mommy and Daddy were here…"

Naoya frowned, and he held the boy tightly. "…Don't worry about them. Even if they aren't around, I'll be here."

"Onii-chan…?"

"That's right…" Naoya rested his chin on Makoto's head. "No one else matters, brother," he murmured into the boy's soft, blue hair. "We're all that we need…"

* * *

Crappy ending is crappy. orz I had no idea how to end it off. But I hope this chapter wasn't TOO bad... |D

Reviews make my world go round and make me update faster. *avoids the flying rotten tomatoes*


	3. Chapter 3

I'm a very happy person. Why am I so happy? Because I got reviews. :D Thanks to _Firebreath Fishslap_ and _mugenginga_! They really made my days. x)

Hmm, I'm uploading this chapter when I should be studying for a test... I'll get back to that eventually. Haha. Ha. |D

Anyways, I kindasorta just breezed through this chapter, so it may appear rushed and abrupt. I certainly hope it doesn't, but... orz

I'm going to repeat: no obvious spoilers, but Naoya thinks about things that may seem kinda out-of-nowhere to anyone who hasn't finished the game on a certain route...

Also, there's probably gonna be possible OOCness ahead. And some UST. D: Okay, that's prolly not the best term for it, but y'know. I mean, it'd be kinda unnatural if Naoya and MC went through their entire lives without getting into a single disagreement, right? Or a single broken bone. Ahem. I won't say anymore. *ducks to avoid the flying bricks*

**Devil Survivor belongs to Atlus. The characters were designed by Suzuhita Yasuda. I don't claim ownership!  
**...but I wish I could.

* * *

Naoya didn't understand why his aunt and uncle still bothered to send him to school.

He was getting the top marks in the class—top marks of his grade, even. He knew some of the teachers would give him over one hundred percent if they could. He far outshone the other students when it came to academics. So _why_ did they insist on his attendance? For Naoya, school was an obstacle that was taking an excruciatingly long time to pass.

_Just deal with it,_ he told himself. _I'll benefit from it eventually._

It was with this reasoning that he sat at the desk in his room, finishing off some math problems on a sunny, Sunday morning. Said questions weren't particularly hard per se, but Naoya was growing increasingly irritated with the tedium of manually writing out the equations.

Not to mention little Makoto wasn't there with him.

Normally, he'd find Naoya doing his homework and, if he had nothing else to do, clamber onto his lap and watch as his older cousin solved problems and answered questions with expertise. He'd always comment, with his eyes huge with wonder and much admiration in his voice, about how smart Naoya was. And for whatever reason, Naoya always felt unexplainable warmth welling up inside him whenever Makoto said these things.

He realized that he had been mulling over one question for over fifteen minutes, and he had somehow broken the lead in his pencil. He checked it over; if _x _was this and _y_ was that, then what was _m?_ And where the hell was _k _supposed to go?

Grunting, Naoya set down his pencil and decided that he needed a break from homework. He checked the clock in his room—it was nearly lunchtime. Makoto's parents were out, so Naoya had to make lunch for the both of them. He didn't really mind; he was a good cook, if he did say so himself, and Makoto seemed to think so too. In fact, he seemed to be the one parenting in his aunt's and uncle's place. Balancing all these tasks could be challenging, even for someone as brilliant as Naoya.

_Heh. I'm getting bigheaded,_ he thought, walking down the stairs into the kitchen. Makoto was in the living room, and presumably, he was playing with all his toys, including the stuffed sheep Naoya had given him for his birthday three years ago. He shook his head at the thought. _Kid brothers will be kid brothers._

The fridge was so empty that it was almost as if it was mocking Naoya. His eyebrow twitched, and he closed the door a little harder than he had intended to. The _least_ his aunt and uncle could have done was left them something to eat, but it seems they were too preoccupied to do even that.

He decided that, if they were going to get lunch in the next hour, they'd have to do some shopping. Or eat out.

"Makoto," he called into the living room. "Come here. We're going out."

Makoto peeked from behind the open kitchen door. At eight years old, he had grown considerably taller, but he was still dwarfed by Naoya.

"Where are we going, Onii-chan?" he asked.

"Grocery shopping. There's nothing left in the fridge."

Makoto gave him a weird expression. "Nothing? Really?"

"Really. Go take a look yourself if you don't believe me," he replied, grabbing a light jacket from a rack and slinging it over his shoulders. "Come on, get a move on," he said when Makoto didn't move. "Unless you don't want lunch today?"

This seemed to coerce Makoto into finding his jacket.  
_

"Gouchizousama,*" the cousins said as they finish their meal. "That was yummy as usual, Onii-chan!" Makoto piped up.

Naoya smirked in response and got up to wash the dishes, when Makoto spoke again.

"Onii-chan, I'm gonna go out with Yuzu today."

Naoya stopped as he reached for the faucet. "What?"

"I'm going out with Yuzu!" he repeated.

"Just the two of you?"

"Yeah! Well, not really. Her mommy's coming with us. And I wanna go to her house alone, Onii-chan."

"What?" Naoya said again, and he felt some sort of emotion rise up within him. Such a familiar emotion…

"I can't let you do that."

"Whaaaat? But Onii-chan…!" Makoto pouted. "I have to grow up! I can't let you walk me everywhere!"

"Well, going to places on your own isn't going to make you mature any faster. Besides, what if your parents found out? I'd be in a lot of trouble."

"Just this once! I won't be long…!"

"The answer's no and that's final, okay?" Naoya replied stiffly, his voice stern, and he turned on the faucet, the sound of gushing water drowning out any further arguments.

Unfortunately, Naoya was still able to hear Makoto's voice. "You…you're not mommy or daddy, so stop trying to act like them! You're so mean! I hate you, Onii-chan!" The faucet didn't drown out the sound of his quick footsteps, but Naoya didn't follow him.

_I hate you! _Those words seemed to be echoing in his head, and Naoya sighed, feeling the telltale signs of an oncoming headache…and perhaps heartache.  
_

Makoto hadn't lied when he said he wouldn't be long. He returned within two hours, but he ignored Naoya. Throughout the afternoon and evening, the two didn't exchange a single word. Dinner was ruled by the silence—other than a stiff "itadakimasu*" and "gouchizousama", nothing was said. Naoya was even grateful that Makoto's parents had decided to return home for the evening. Dinner would have just been painfully awkward if it were just the cousins.

That night, as he sat at his desk, trying to pick up his homework from where he left off, Naoya knew that he'd have to let go of his brother eventually. So _why_ was the thought so painful?  
_

Another reason Naoya disliked school: unexpected accidents.

It was all just a blur to him. He had been attending his physical education class—that much he remembered. They had been playing basketball—or was it soccer?—and Naoya had been pursuing his classmate. The classmate suddenly fell, and Naoya, who had been running fairly fast, was unable to stop himself in time. The world became a whirl of colour for him, and he fell hard. His classmate had been fine, but Naoya found that his right leg wasn't able to support him.

Some way or another, he had broken his ankle.

Currently, he lay in the hospital bed, staring at the ceiling. The window's curtains were drawn, and sunlight streamed in reflecting off of the immaculate sheets and hurting his eyes.

_This is rather irritating,_ he fumed. The clock was ticking agonizingly slowly (was it mocking him? Everything seemed to be mocking him these days). He knew the boredom would eventually get to him, and he just wished he had a laptop. Or even schoolwork. Anything to alleviate the dullness of his ward.

And then the stream of visitors arrived. First were some classmates, including the one he had tripped over. He apologized profusely in such a fashion that the nurse had to shoo him out of the room (much to Naoya's relief). Some of his other peers visited him in hopes of getting on his good side and raising their own marks in the process.

Then Makoto and his parents came.

The sky outside was tinted orange when they showed up. Mr. and Mrs. Chouji were, again, busy with work, so they couldn't stay for long. Makoto was left to stay in the ward with Naoya until visiting hours were over, when they would return to pick him up.

When his parents left, Makoto flung himself onto Naoya. "I'm sorry, Onii-chan!" he cried, burying his face against Naoya's chest.

Naoya winced, both at the sensation of the sudden loss of air and the fact Makoto's voice was considerably loud. "For what?"

"I got mad at you… And then I just left, even though you told me not to. Then I didn't even talk to you…"

Naoya sighed, feeling the beginnings of another headache. "Just for that? That's barely worth apologizing for…"

"You're wrong, Onii-chan! I said all those bad things about you, and then this happens… I'm sorry!"

"Makoto, just calm down! You're going to disturb everyone else," Naoya hissed, and Makoto quieted almost immediately.

"S-sorry…"

"Stop apologizing," Naoya muttered, annoyed, but he found he didn't want to let go of Makoto. Makoto sniffed a little—had he been crying? Naoya felt a pang of guilt at the thought—and looked up at him.

"But I said all those things about you… I said you weren't like mommy and daddy, but when I saw Yuzu's parents with Yuzu, I thought, you've been doing more things for me than mommy and daddy have," the boy replied, looking back down. "I felt so…so…" His brow furrowed as he tried to think of a word.

"Ungrateful?" Naoya volunteered. He was somewhat surprised when Makoto nodded.

"Yeah! Ungrateful…" He shut his eyes. "It's just that… Daddy said no when I asked if I could go out to play with Yuzu. I thought you would agree, since you're Onii-chan… I mean, if mommy and daddy won't play with me, won't they at least let me play with Yuzu? " His voice had gotten dangerously high again, and Naoya was afraid he would start crying. "I got mad 'cause you sounded like my daddy… But I shouldn't have gotten mad. I mean, you always cook for me and walk me to school, since mommy and daddy can't do it… And you're already busy with your own stuff, but you never complain and…!"

He was beginning to tear up again, and Naoya wanted to avoid sleeping with wet clothes. He opted to cup his cheeks and tilt the boy's face upwards, as he had done many times before. "Makoto."

"Onii-chan…?"

"What's done is done, okay?" He felt awkward; he wasn't used to accepting apologies. "So…just forget about it. It's in the past."

"So…you forgive me?"

Naoya tried to put on a reassuring smile. "Yes, Makoto. I forgive you."

He nearly gave in to hysteria when Makoto hugged him tightly and started crying again. What had he said wrong?

"Hey, stop crying," he chided, rubbing his back. "I just said I forgave you. Why are you crying?"

"B-because…Onii-chan… You're…!" Makoto sobbed and Naoya was ready to wring someone's neck.

Eventually, Makoto managed to settle down, and the two cousins stayed in their position, embracing each other. Words weren't exchanged, but the silence wasn't an awkward one—it was just there because no words needed to be said.

Then, Makoto spoke up again. "Onii-chan?"

"Yes?" He didn't want to say anything else, just in case he would cause Makoto to cry again.

"When I said I hated you… I didn't mean it. I could never hate you, Onii-chan…" His voice was soft, as if his energy was spent.

Naoya said nothing at this. _Would you hate me when you found out what I did to you?_ He didn't voice these thoughts, only holding Makoto closer. "I know," he replied instead. "I won't ever hate you either," he added, for lack of anything else to say.

Makoto giggled softly, and he looked up at Naoya with such a joyful countenance. "That makes me happy, Onii-chan." He buried his face against Naoya's chest again, his next words sounding muffled, but audible. "You're the best big brother ever."

Naoya felt a tug of guilt, but underneath that, he was strangely happy.

* * *

Hoooray for resolved UST! :D *avoids the stone anvils*

Hmmm... The ending seemed kinda abrupt. But it was also like it was going on and on... Anyways, I hope it was neither of those. orz Not much else to say about the chapter...

*_Itadakimasu_ and _gouchizousama_ are both Japanese phrases that are said at the beginning and end of a meal respectively. I try to keep my fics to one language if I can, but I was kinda scratching my head trying to think of an English equivalent or translation, so I just left it as is. D| I suppose _itadakimasu _would be "Thanks for the food/meal" but... I have no idea. Japanese is such a confusing language. |D Well, not really, but... ARGH, whatever.

I always love reviews! C: They make me forsake my homework in favour of the fic. :3


	4. Chapter 4

BLARGH, it's been like, forever since I've been here (or so it feels). I really should be working on homework right now, but... Whatever.

Sorry for the wait. Life's come around and bitten me in the arse. I've been really busy and stressed lately, but I'm glad that I finally got this done.

Part of the reason it took so long is because... There _really _was no plan for this chapter, other than Naoya's little dilemma. So yeah, it's just going to look like a patchwork chapter with a bunch of random ideas thrown together. |D Sorry...

But thanks so much for the reviews! Particular thanks to Wyla, Najask and v for reviewing the last chapter! (Or...the first one? WELL, thanks for reviewing, yeah. LOL;; orz)

I just realized something: if you shorten Makoto Chouji to initials... YOU GET MC! OMG

*gets pelted by bricks*

RIGHT, on with business... Another reason this chapter took a while was because I had two ideas for it... Obviously, one idea got scrapped, and is never to be seen again. (Unless people want it in a bonus chapter or something lol) And... Yeah, I forgot what else I was going to say here.

Spoiler warning isn't significant, but Naoya tells an odd story...

On with the story, I guess!

**DeSu belongs to Atlus. I do not claim ownership of it, the characters, or character designs.  
**I'M JUST WRITING WHAT COULD HAVE BEEN-*pelted by more bricks*

EDIT: Arrgh, this site's being stupid with the saving and stuff again. I'm sorry if distinguishing between the scenes gets confusing; I've been trying to edit it, but even though it SAYS something to saved, NOTHING HAPPENS. Yeah, I'm kinda PO'd. Anyways, I'll try to fix it. orz

* * *

"See you tomorrow!"

"Hey, call me tonight, okay?"

"Let's meet at that spot again."

The school grounds bustled with conversation, but Naoya didn't bother with any of it. His objective was to leave as quickly as possible while attracting as little attention as possible. After all, his school was quite a ways away from the school Makoto attended, and he didn't want to keep his little cousin waiting.

Then Naoya frowned. _Have I become too attached to him?_ he wondered. A certain amount of love and care was necessary if he wanted Makoto to follow him without hesitation, but if his own feelings got in the way…

_It's just because we've been living together for a long time,_ he told himself. _I'll get over it once I move out. _Which was bound to be soon—after all, he was reaching adulthood.

_I have to admit, this life's certainly been interesting, _Naoya mused. Yes, he appeared to have everything he needed for what he was planning…

But that was for later on. Right now, he needed to pick Makoto up.

When he arrived at the elementary school, the sky was already tinted orange and the grounds were nearly deserted. He scanned the area, looking for a hint of blue that stood out against the hues of the background and he frowned when he didn't find it. Entering the grounds, Naoya continued to look for the boy, but he was nowhere in sight.

"Makoto?" he called. "Makoto, if you're hiding, you can come out now."

Still no answer. Not even the sound of footsteps on dirt. Frowning, Naoya decided to check around the school.

And then, while nearing the back of the building, he heard voices.

"I-I'm sorry…!"

Naoya froze, hearing that familiar voice laced with fear, which was then followed by another voice.

"'Sorry' doesn't cut it, kid. Don't you know who you're talking to?"

This voice was unknown to him, but the gruffness of it told him all he needed to know. He quickened his pace until the owner came into sight.

He was a large man, and Naoya assumed that they were around the same age. The man was flanked by two others, also presumably from high school. And all three of them towered over a small trembling figure against the school wall.

"No… Don't hurt me…"

_Makoto, _Naoya thought, his heart pounding. So far, he had gone unnoticed, and he wanted to charge in and teach these thugs a lesson, but the fact that there were three of them, with generous amounts of body weight among them, made him hesitate.

But when the leading thug grabbed Makoto by the collar, causing the boy to gasp, Naoya couldn't hold himself back any longer. He strolled into the scene and cleared his throat.

"Now, what could an elementary student have done to rile up you gentlemen?" he asked, but his airy tone of voice didn't betray the glares he had levelled on the three students. Upon hearing his voice, they turned to look at him. Makoto too, followed their gazes.

"Onii-chan…"

"Hey, who the hell are you to stick your nose into our business? Piss off," the leading thug spat, turning back to Makoto. The boy shrunk back against the wall.

Naoya's smirk couldn't hide his contempt. "Unbelievable. Three high school students to one young boy is hardly a fair fight. Has man really sunk that low?" His voice was laced with venom. "Or maybe you're just cowards."

This definitely caught their attention. "What did you just say…?" the leader asked, speaking dangerously slowly. "I dare you to repeat that in my face, punk."

"Hard on hearing too, I suppose? Well then, I'll say it again, just for your sake." He narrowed his eyes. "Every single one of you is a coward. I bet you wouldn't be able to win a fight on your own against someone your own size."

"You wanna bet?" The leader lunged at Naoya, but he expected it, and he reacted quickly; he swerved and buried his knee into the thug's stomach, eliciting a strangled yelp from the man.

The other two were on him as their leader doubled over, but it was evident that they weren't very skilled fighters—they swung their fists in random directions, hoping to land a hit, but Naoya was too quick for them. With another few well-aimed hits, he had incapacitated them.

With his three adversaries lying crumpled on the ground, Naoya smirked, feeling accomplished. "Come on, that was it? All bark and no bite, I suppose." He turned his attention to his cousin, who looked like he was trying to shrink into the wall. With wide blue eyes, Makoto stared back at him, but only when Naoya spread his arms invitingly did he throw himself at his older cousin, holding him tightly.

"Onii-chan…!" The boy was shaking, clinging tightly to Naoya's clothes. He said nothing else, but his trembling frame spoke for him.

Naoya had returned the embrace and was rubbing his back gently. "Everything's going to be fine. I'm here now."

He decided that it would be best to clear out before the thugs recovered, so he lifted Makoto up—the boy had grown, but he was still quite small and light. Makoto didn't object, only wrapping his arms around Naoya's neck and hugging him tightly.

It was still fairly bright as they made their way home. With quite some distance between them and the house, Naoya decided that this was the best time to inquire.

"So, what _did_ you do to make those guys angry?" he asked.

Makoto shrugged, his face buried against Naoya's shoulder. "I dunno… I just bumped into one of them. Then he dropped his cigarette… Then he got mad…"

"I see…" So the guy couldn't handle his addiction and had to take it out on someone. Makoto was just in the wrong place at the wrong time.

"But… You were cool, Onii-chan." The boy was looking up at him earnestly. "I mean, you're always cool, but you were really cool back there!" His blue eyes were sparkling with admiration. "Did mommy or daddy ever send you to fighting school…?"

"Nope." Naoya gave him an enigmatic smile with an equally cryptic response. "I've had years of experience."

Makoto tilted his head, his eyebrows knitted as he tried to make sense of Naoya's remark. "I don't understand, Onii-chan…"

"You don't have to. Come on, we're almost home. I bet you're hungry."

"Oh! Yeah…!" The boy's face lit up. "Hurry home, Onii-chan! Your cooking's the best!"

Naoya chuckled. "Alright, alright, I'm hurrying."  
_

That night, as Naoya finished his homework, Makoto came into his room, toting the plush sheep he had received so long ago.

"Onii-chan…?" His voice was small, as if he was embarrassed to interrupt Naoya.

"What is it?"

"I can't sleep… Can you tell me a story?"

Naoya sighed. "You're eleven years old, Makoto. You're way too old for stories."

"But… I can't sleep!" Now the boy looked really embarrassed. "F-fine, if you don't want to tell me a story, I'll just go back…"

"No, come here." Naoya sat on his bed and patted his lap, indicating for Makoto to sit on it. Smiling, the boy obliged.

"What kind of story do you want to hear?" he asked once they were both comfortable.

"Umm," the boy milled on it for a moment. "I dunno! Any story you tell will be good, I bet," he finally said, smiling.

"Hmm…" He couldn't think of any story to tell Makoto; his mind was completely blank. But he didn't want to disappoint the boy, who was staring expectantly up at him with his large, trusting eyes…

He looked around the room, trying to get an idea from…something. Anything that he could make a story out of. But there was nothing of interest in his room, other than a bookshelf chock full of books, a few potted plants on the window sill, and his laptop. Then, his eyes settled on Makoto's toy lamb, and suddenly, he had just the story to tell.

"Once upon a time," he began with the traditional opening of a fairy tale to give it that storytelling feel. "There were two brothers who served under their lord. The older brother cultivated the land…"

"What does that mean, Onii-chan?"

"It means he grew crops like corn and wheat for bread. Fruits and vegetables."

"Ooh…"

"The older brother cultivated the land, and the younger brother was a shepherd. He took care of the sheep," he said in response to Makoto's questioning look. He noted that the boy hugged his stuffed animal a little more tightly. "The two worked their hardest to take care of what their lord had presented them with.

"Then, a day came where they had to offer tributes to their lord. The younger brother offered a lamb as a sacrifice and the lord accepted it. However, the older brother's sacrifice, his finest crops, was rejected."

Makoto looked appalled. "Whaaaat?"

"Indeed. The lord wanted something of blood… So the older brother had to kill his younger brother to satisfy him. But did you know what the lord did?"

The boy was wide-eyed. "What did he do…?"

"He punished the older brother. He damned him, preventing him from ever resting peacefully." Naoya closed his eyes, deep in thought. "Now, Makoto, who do you think was in the wrong?"

"Huh…?"

"Who was the bad guy?"

It took Makoto about a second to come up with an answer. "The lord! He made the older brother kill his younger brother, but then he punished him! That's unfair!"

Naoya smirked. "Good boy…" He held Makoto close, burying his face against his blue locks. "Looks like you were listening. That's my cousin," he murmured into his hair.

Proud of himself, Makoto let out a giggle, which was followed by a yawn.

"Looks like it's time for bed," Naoya said, pulling away, but Makoto clung to him.

"I still wanna stay here, Onii-chan!"

"You have school tomorrow. You can't stay up."

"I didn't say stay _up_, I said stay _here!_ I wanna sleep in your room!"

"Now what kind of brother does that?" Naoya asked, looking at the boy quizzically. "You're really strange, Makoto."

Makoto replied by sticking his tongue out. "Blehh!"

Naoya rolled his eyes. "Well? It's way past your bedtime. You should go to sleep. Right now."

"Oh… Oh fiiiine!" The boy pouted, crawling onto the bed and under the covers. He peeked at Naoya from under the blankets. "…But you sleep too, Onii-chan!"

"What?"

"You're done with your homework, right? And it's way past your bedtime too!"

Naoya shook his head in disbelief. Makoto was so stubborn sometimes. With a sigh, he gave in and lay down as well. Makoto immediately snuggled up to him.

"See? It's warmer like this," he said, beaming. Naoya sighed again.

"Whatever you say, brother."

He had to admit, though, that the boy was right.  
_

The kitchen was unusually quiet, and Naoya quickly discerned the reason: Makoto was still not awake yet. He glanced at the clock—Makoto would be changing by now. Frowning, he got up and called for the boy.

"Makoto!" There was no answer. Naoya was bewildered—Makoto was generally a good boy, and he wouldn't ignore his older brother purposefully. He definitely wouldn't sleep in on a school day.

"Makoto?" Naoya called again, heading up the stairs to his cousin's room. The door was still shut, so he knocked.

"Hey," he said. "Do you know what time it is? You're gonna be late."

He heard a small voice from the other side of the door, but couldn't quite make out the words.

"I'm coming in, okay?" he replied, and he opened the door.

Nothing seemed out of the ordinary. Makoto was lying on his bed, huddled under his blanket.

Naoya shook his head disbelievingly. "Makoto, it's almost time to go to school and you haven't even changed yet." He walked over to the bed and shook him gently, and was surprised when the boy whimpered and tried to shy away from the touch.

"That hurts, Onii-chan," Makoto muttered, his voice barely audible under his blankets.

"What's wrong?" Naoya was concerned now—he had barely prodded him and Makoto was complaining of pain?

The boy turned onto his back so he could see Naoya. His face was half-covered by the blankets. "I think I'm sick, Onii-chan…"

Naoya frowned. Now that he thought about it, Makoto hadn't been his energetic self during the weekend, even going to bed earlier than usual the night before.

Tentatively, he reached out to feel the boy's forehead with his hand, and almost pulled it back in shock. "You're burning up… Have you been feeling unwell for the past few days?"

Makoto nodded.

"Well then, why didn't you say anything? You should've stayed at home, and now look at you."

The boy shrunk back into the bed. "Sorry…"

"No, don't apologize," Naoya replied, massaging his temples. He had never really dealt with a sick person before, but he had enough common sense to decide what to do first. "Well, you're not going to get any better on an empty stomach. I'll make you some breakfast. Is there anything you want?"

Makoto shook his head, closed his eyes groaning a little and turned onto his side again, and Naoya realized how heartrending it was to watch his little cousin suffering like this.

"I'll be back, alright?" he said more softly, and he quietly left the room.

He came back fifteen minutes later to find Makoto shivering. Quickly shutting the door, he was at the bedside in a few strides. "Makoto, are you doing alright?"

The boy replied with a nod and Naoya sat down on the edge of the bed. "Can you sit up?"

Makoto sat up slowly, as if he had difficulty. His hair was tousled, and he looked not unlike a groggy child who had been woken up a few hours too early. Naoya would have laughed if the boy looked more amusing and less weak.

"Here," he said, holding out the bowl of rice and egg he had brought with him (he wasn't entirely sure if such a meal would have any ill effects on the stomach, but he figured there was no point in fretting over it seeing as he went through the trouble of cooking). However, when he saw Makoto reach out shakily, he reconsidered and withdrew his arms.

"On second thought, I'll feed you."

He couldn't help but smirk when Makoto managed to muster a pout. "I'm not a kid, Onii-chan…"

"It has nothing to do with whether or not you're a kid. I just don't want you to make a mess out of your room, because you know who'll have to clean it up later."

Makoto looked like he was going to give a witty retort, but he started coughing instead. "See, look at what happened. You should just listen to Onii-chan for a change," Naoya said, and he held out a spoonful of rice. "Open your mouth."

Grudgingly, the boy complied and Naoya fed him. "See? That wasn't so hard, was it?" He spooned another portion. "Here."

Makoto was about to accept it when an idea seemed to dawn on him. "Don't you have school, Onii-chan…?"

"So what if I do?"

"Onii-chan… You're missing school?"

"Well, I'm obviously not in classes, am I? Come, open your mouth." Makoto did so, and they continued in silence for the next few minutes.

After swallowing the last spoonful, Makoto spoke up again, sounding a little stronger than he initially did. "But… What if you get in trouble, Onii-chan? Shouldn't you call in sick or something?"

Naoya sighed. "I'm getting the highest mark in our grade. What're a few days at home? The other students can use this as an opportunity to catch up." He smiled, amused. "School is a bore, anyways."

"I'm gonna tell mommy you said that!" Makoto cried, and Naoya rolled his eyes.

"Yeah, whatever. Just remember who'll be working twenty-four-seven for the next few days for your sake."

Makoto pouted, but his irritation didn't last; his expression softened into something of gratitude, and he threw his arms around Naoya. Surprised, the older cousin awkwardly returned the embrace while holding onto the bowl.

"Thanks, Onii-chan," he murmured. "For…everything. You're the best big brother ever."

"I know," Naoya replied, patting the boy's head with his free hand. "Now, you should focus on resting. I don't want you to get your germs all over my clothing."

Makoto giggled, but despite Naoya's light-hearted tone, he didn't share the amusement. Instead, unbeknownst to Makoto, he was frowning.

If he was willing to drop everything for his brother's sake, he was going to run into problems in the future. If he wanted his plan to work, he had to be ruthless.

And yet… The boy was looking up at him again, and, while heavy-lidded, the blue hues that stared up at him showed only admiration and love. Naoya smiled down in response and, putting the empty bowl aside, pulled him closer, taking in his scent. Makoto snuggled, enjoying the warmth.

He wondered if he would be able to refuse the gaze of those innocent blue eyes when the time came. He was to be the chess master, and Makoto his pawn…but he would he be able to make the checkmate when the most important piece to his scheme would influence him so much?

No. Naoya knew he had to make his move soon. If he stayed any longer with Makoto, he would only fall for him more, and eventually forget the reason he was living this life.

He would eventually forget the cause of the dilemma of having to choose between Makoto and what he truly desired.

* * *

Oh, Naoya... You biggus phallicus. (I hope I didn't call him something other than what I meant to call him there, fffff.)

ANYWAYS, this chapter was kinda really long... But I hope that's okay. |D Cookies for those who got the story! *shot*

Next chappie probably won't be as long... In fact, it'll probably be kinda short. I have a general idea as to what will take place, so it'll probably come soon...

In the meantime... Thanks for reading! Reviews are much appreciated!


	5. Chapter 5

Phew... Well! This is it, guys. The last chapter. I managed to get it done! |D

'neways, I'm really tired right now, even though it's five hours from my bedtime. Waking up at 6:00am three days in a row really gets to you after a while, but I'm happy because I can sleep in tomorrow. |D So yeah, please excuse any mistakes... orz I've proofread to the best of my ability. And OOCness too, please excuse that as well.

I...was going to type something here but I forgot what it was. ._. Whatever. ANYWAYS, mild spoiler warning, nothing explicit.

So... On with the final chapter!

**DeSu belongs to Atlus and the characters were designed by Suzuhita Yasuda.  
**Is it just me or are my disclaimers getting shorter and more boring?

* * *

"Are you really moving away, Onii-chan?"

Naoya turned around to regard his thirteen year-old cousin, who was looking up at him forlornly. He sighed and patted his head.

"Yes, Makoto. I'm really moving."

"But…why? Don't you like living here?" Makoto cried. "Don't you like living with me, Onii-chan?"

Sighing again, Naoya pulled the boy close. "Of course I like living here with you. But I'm all grown up, and I have a job. Oji-san and Oba-san have the time to take care of you now." He put his hands on his shoulders and knelt down so he and Makoto were at eye level. "The bird will eventually leave its nest. You're going to have to move out someday too."

"But I don't wanna!" Makoto whined and Naoya shook his head.

"Well, your feelings are going to change once you get older. In any case, by leaving, I'm giving Oba-san and Oji-san one less mouth to feed, so it'll be a little easier on them. See? I'm not just moving out for myself, I'm moving out for your parents too."

Makoto looked down, still forlorn. Naoya frowned. "Hey. What's with that look?"

"I'm gonna miss you, Onii-chan…"

"It's not like I'm moving out of this country," Naoya replied, cupping Makoto's cheek with a hand. "I'm just a train ride away."

"I know, but still…"

"Would it make you feel better if I told you I had a present for you?"

Makoto's sad look turned into an inquisitive one. "A…present?"

"That's right. Close your eyes for a second."

Curious, the boy did as he was told, and he felt something cover his ears. Something small was pushed into his hand. Not able to resist any longer, he opened his eyes.

He was holding an mp3 player connected with a bright red chord. Said chord led to the things covering his ears.

"Huh?" Makoto took them off and found himself staring at a pair of oddly shaped headphones. Then, he looked up at Naoya, who was smiling.

"Just think of it as a parting gift," he said, and Makoto's face broke into a delightful smile. He hugged Naoya tightly, still holding onto his gift.

"Thanks, Onii-chan! I've always wanted headphones!"

"Is that so? Then I know you better than I thought I did," Naoya mused, and Makoto turned to his newly acquired headphones.

"Wow, these wires are so weird," he said, gazing at the elongated wires that formed two strange triangular shapes. "Why are they pointing up like that? Aren't they just supposed to go around your head?"

"I'm assuming they are to give the impression of animal ears."

"Oh, like a cat! Nya!" Makoto cried, clawing at Naoya's clothes.

Naoya sighed, putting a hand on his forehead disbelievingly. "Isn't thirteen a little too old for that kind of horseplay?"

"Whatever!" The boy embraced Naoya again. "…Thanks, Onii-chan. I'll never take them off!"

"Oh, I don't know about that. You're going to have to take them off when you go to sleep or when you take a shower."

"Well, I'll wear them all the other times!"

"Of course you will," Naoya said, patting him on the head again. "Now… I think it's time for me to go."

The boy looked saddened again. "Can't you stay another week?"

"Unfortunately, I can't. I have to go right now or I'll miss the train."

Makoto whined a little, but he let go of Naoya. The latter smiled, giving him one last pat on the head.

"You can visit me anytime you want. Just make sure you call first."

"Okay…" Makoto looked up so that red and blue hues met. "Make sure you visit us too, Onii-chan!"

Naoya chuckled. "Of course, Makoto. Well, then…" He stepped away, picking up his bag. "See you whenever." And he left through the open door.

Makoto stood at the doorway, watching as his older cousin disappeared from sight. "Bye, Onii-chan! Don't forget to say hi once in a while, okay?" he called.

Despite the boy's cheery tone, Naoya was not smiling as he walked away.

A part of him wanted to stay with Makoto until he was older, to continue to nurture him. But he knew he had to leave before he succumbed to his emotions. He gripped the handle of his bag a little more tightly.

Naoya had planned to use Makoto's childhood to wrap him around his finger, but something went awry along the way.

He had been successful in one aspect; Makoto loved and trusted him. That would definitely be an asset to him in the future. However, he hadn't had the intention to reciprocate the affection. And yet, feelings that he had nearly forgotten had begun to resurface, and he had to push them away again before they interfered.

Naoya stopped walking and looked up at the sky, into the heavens. His eyes were narrowed in a glare. He cursed the perpetrator of his damnation, the one who was the cause of this suffering. He cursed the one who forced him to encounter life again and again when he had had enough eons ago.

The image of Makoto's smiling face flickered into his mind. As he continued walking, he felt only anger...

And the genuine attraction towards his long-time brother.

* * *

And with that, we're done with the story! Was that too short? It DID say in Naoya's profile that he was living with MC's family until a few years ago... "Few" could be as much as...four, I think? Well, maybe I should've written another chapter, but I was running out of ideas, and besides, 5 is a good number, yup yup. *shot*

I always imagined it was Naoya who gave those funky adorable headphones to MC. I dunno, he just seems like he'd know where to get that kinda thing. I mean, look at his haori (that awesome black longcoatrobe thing with the matrix raining code that he wears without actually wearing. I mean, the only times he ever puts his arms through the sleeves are in his overworld sprites!). I don't think a haori with a design like that would be common in Japan.

Anyways, thanks to all those who stuck with the story until the end, as short as it was! An even greater thanks to those who reviewed. Naoya will bless you forever.

Naoya: I will do no such thing.

Hmm. ._. Well, whatever. ANYWAYS, I'm hoping to get another story in before the new year, and I have a vague idea that involves Atsuro and MC... And Pokemon, but that's another vague idea altogether. Aw man, imagine if they summoned Pokemon from their COMPs... That'd be friggin' awesome. :'D *SHOT again*

But...I dunno. I wanna take requests. I don't know if I'm good enough for that sort of thing, or if I sound _conceited_ for even asking, but I wouldn't think of many other ideas otherwise, especially since winter break is coming up and my inspiration (cough or lack thereof cough) usually evaporates into nothing during vacations...

Ahem, there I go blabbing again.

Even though this story is finished, I still love reviews! Tell me what you think, tell me what I could improve on, tell me anything. Just don't flame me, because that doesn't help anyone. If I suck, then tell me what I suck at and I'll try to improve... Yada, yada, yada, you know all this stuff.

Once again, thank you so much for reading! I hope you found it to be an enjoyable story. :3 I certainly enjoyed writing it. Thanks again!

**_~Ein_**


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